Smiling Blue Eyes
by aonalion
Summary: When Jonouchi is on his way home one day, he suddenly sees something he never thought he would - Kaiba smiling. Oneshot, Kaiba X Jonouchi


Since Jonouchi didn't exactly want to hurry back home to his father after school ended, he took a particularly long way that day. He rarely ever went there; if he wanted a detour he would normally just go to the arcades in the centrum of the city, preferably along with Yugi and Honda and the others. But today they were busy, and he had to go home alone. He was getting near the outskirts of the city and wasn't quite sure which way to take back, but he didn't worry about it. The later he got home, the better.

Then Jonouchi suddenly heard a familiar voice up ahead, but he couldn't quite place it. He knew he'd heard it before, but it sounded odd…

Jonouchi didn't really get a chance to think more about it until he passed by a garden obviously belonging to a kindergarten. There were swings, a see-saw, a slide and at least a dozen kids in all shapes and forms, all surrounding a single man standing among them. His eyes widened as he realized who it was.

It was Kaiba, but it definitely wasn't the Kaiba Jonouchi was used to. This one was smiling for starters.

Completely shocked, Jonouchi couldn't do anything but stare until he finally had the presence to move again – he dashed around the corner of the house and pressed his back against the wall, his heart beating at a mile per hour. He stood there, absolutely still but panting slightly for some reason, listening to the sounds he could hear from the garden.

"Mr. Kaiba, I made this for you!" a girl said.

"Oh thank you, Seiko," Kaiba replied and Jonouchi could _hear_ he was still smiling. "It's beautiful."

The little girl giggled and the blond peered around the corner of the building just in time to see Kaiba ruffle the hair of a tiny blonde girl with the standard short hair and bangs. She grinned broadly towards him and then skipped away to her friends. Jonouchi could see that Kaiba was holding a paper and he guessed the brunet had gotten a drawing.

Jonouchi watched in amazement as Kaiba knelt down and spoke to the children, his voice so low the blond couldn't hear what he was saying. But he still had that small, truly happy smile playing over his lips, and his blue eyes were glittering. Jonouchi's heart wouldn't stop its frantic beating and he could feel a blush rise to his cheeks. He had never seen the brunet like that.

A sudden, loud cry made both him and Kaiba look up – a black-haired kid was on all four on the ground a few meters away, sobbing. Instantly, Kaiba got up and hurried over to him, picking him up like it was nothing. The kid was crying; his face was red and his nose running, but Kaiba simply smiled and wiped away his tears.

"There, there, don't cry," he said softly. "Here, take this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. Jonouchi couldn't see which one it was, but he had no doubt it was valuable and rare. The kid sniffled loudly one last time before taking the card and giving Kaiba a tight hug. The brunet returned it with a smile and Jonouchi felt a tug at his heart.

Only moments later, Jonouchi could hear someone calling from inside and Kaiba went into the house along with all the kids. The blond made sure they weren't coming back out before he dared to move. He slowly made his way back to his apartment, but he barely paid any attention to where he was going.

He had never seen Kaiba like that. Jonouchi had always thought he was cold and heartless, with the exception of towards Mokuba, but now…

_He was smiling._

Jonouchi closed his eyes for a moment. He didn't know why, but he found that he wanted the brunet to smile like that towards him. In a way it wasn't fair; Jonouchi had always accepted the fact that Kaiba was a total asshole towards everyone because he had thought that was simply the way he was. But now he had seen a completely different side of the brunet, and he longed to see it again.

The following day, after Jonouchi made sure Kaiba wasn't there, he went to the kindergarten again. The sign next to the door announced that it wasn't a kindergarten after all – it was an orphanage.

Suddenly Jonouchi understood. Kaiba was there, trying to cheer up the children, because he knew himself what it was like to be an orphan. A warm wave of something like affection for the brunet suddenly hit Jonouchi; Kaiba really did have a heart.

Jonouchi knocked on the door and asked if they were willing to hire him or at least just let him help out. They gratefully accepted his offer, giving him minimum wage. But Jonouchi didn't mind; he really did need any money he could get, and he found that he quite liked being with the kids. They liked him as well, clinging to him and asking him to pick them up and always bringing him little gifts they had made themselves.

The blond went to the orphanage the following day, and the day after that as well. He had just stepped inside when Zak came running – it was the kid Kaiba had comforted after he fell – and crashed painfully right into Jonouchi's legs. The blond staggered backwards, but laughed.

"Zak, you gotta be careful, man," he said and picked him up before he started crying. But when Jonouchi straightened up with Zak in his arms he froze – because Kaiba stood right in front of him, his blue eyes narrowed. A small, redheaded girl clung to his side, but he paid no attention to her.

"What are you doing here?" he wondered. Jonouchi couldn't decipher his tone at all, but gulped.

"I work 'ere."

But both of them completely forgot how bright little children can be, and were completely thrown off guard when the little girl said:

"Are you two fwiends?"

Jonouchi and Kaiba stared at her for a moment and she looked back, doe-eyed, before the blond managed to put on his usual grin.

"Yeah we are," he replied and the little girl smiled happily. The blond could tell Kaiba was watching him and made an effort not to meet the other's eyes.

"I wanna go to Mr. Kaiba," Zak suddenly said and gave Jonouchi a few punches on his shoulder to get his attention. Jonouchi knew better than to protest; he handed the kid over to Kaiba, who easily took him. As Zak passed between them their fingers brushed, and Jonouchi could feel his heart rate speed up again.

Working there with Kaiba turned out to be a pleasant surprise for Jonouchi; in the beginning they politely stayed out of each other's way – even though the blond would occasionally steal glances at Kaiba. But they found that after a while it became impossible not to interact, especially after the word got out that they were "fwiends". Jonouchi didn't mind at all when the kids – including Kaiba – painted his face using crayons and the brunet actually chuckled at him when the blond had to be the princess the children could save.

Finally, when the day was nearing its end and the sun begun to set, the both of them sat on a bench close to the house and watched the children play on their own. Jonouchi didn't say anything, and neither did Kaiba, but the blond was perfectly content with simply sitting there with the brunet. He honestly couldn't remember ever feeling so at peace with himself, both thanks to the kids, and Kaiba.

Jonouchi kept coming back to the orphanage every day, even at the weekends when he didn't get paid, and to his big surprise Kaiba did as well. The kids really enjoyed having the two of them there, and Jonouchi liked being there as well. He liked seeing the nice and kind side of Kaiba he hadn't even known existed, and he loved when the children made him smile, or even better – when Jonouchi himself made him smile. Jonouchi found that he could actually _talk_ to the brunet, usually about the kids, but it was still more than he'd done before. In school, Jonouchi and Kaiba mostly stayed away from each other, but they didn't fight like they used to. The blond wouldn't admit it of course, but he loved it.

"I know why yer doin' this," Jonouchi said one evening when they were sitting on the bench again, watching the kids. "It's 'cause of Gozaburo, isn't it?" He turned his head and looked at the brunet, who was watching him with calm but calculating eyes.

"Yes. It is," he said, his voice low. "I know what it's like not to have a family."

"I sometimes wish I didn't have a family," Jonouchi said darkly and looked away again. He loved Shizuka of course, but he could definitely do without his mother and father.

"Don't ever say that. You don't know what it's like." Kaiba's voice was cold, harsh, but Jonouchi knew he had a point. The blond sighed, but before he managed to say anything the little blonde girl, Seiko, skipped up to them.

"I made this for you!" she said cheerfully and held out a piece of paper.

"For both of us?" Jonouchi asked, and she nodded vigorously. The blond held up the drawing so both he and Kaiba could see it. It was, of course, as good as an eight-year-old could do, but it was obviously Blue Eyes White Dragon and Red Eyes Black Dragon engaged in serious battle.

"Thanks, Seiko," Jonouchi said and ruffled her hair before she disappeared again. "How did she even know the REBD is my fav card?"

"I don't even know how they knew the Blue Eyes White Dragon is _my_ favorite card," Kaiba said with a small chuckle. When Jonouchi held out the drawing towards him he pushed it away. "You take it. I've got plenty already." The blond simply hummed as an answer and stared at the drawing. A minute passed by. "What's wrong?"

"See, that's the thing," Jonouchi said and looked up at the children. "I didn't think ya cared." He turned his head towards Kaiba and met his eyes – the brunet had a small frown on his face. "Yanno? I never thought ya could be so… kind an' – an'… nice an'… Ya really care about these kids, dontcha?"

"I do."

"But ya never…" He sighed, ran his fingers through his hair. "Ya always treated me wit' contempt, an' ya always mocked me an' –… But I was fine wit' that. 'Cause I didn't think ya could act any other way."

"I see," Kaiba said quietly before Jonouchi was done explaining what he felt. Of course the brunet was smart enough to figure it out on his own. "You think I've treated you unfairly."

"I _know_ ya have!" Jonouchi said and snapped his head towards Kaiba. If he hadn't known better he would've said the brunet actually looked a bit sad. "… Ya must feel so too… right?"

Jonouchi knew he probably looked pathetic at the moment, begging Kaiba for some of acknowledgement, but he couldn't help himself. During the time they had been at the orphanage he honestly felt like he had gotten closer to Kaiba; they could speak as equals now – and yet it was as if there was a barrier between them.

"I have treated you unfairly, I know," Kaiba said and lowered his voice to nothing more than a whisper. "I'm sorry." Jonouchi suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, but the body contact burned at his skin through his t-shirt. A sudden surge of anger flowed through him and made him grit his teeth. He quickly stood up, leaving the drawing on the bench and shrugging the hand away.

"That's not enough!"

Before Jonouchi could decide whether he should walk away or not, he heard Kaiba get up as well. The brunet walked around him to be able to meet his eyes, but the blond stubbornly looked away.

"Jonouchi…" Said person didn't even stir. "Jonouchi!" Kaiba's harsh tone made the blond look up, albeit a bit hesitantly. The brunet looked as if he had to stop himself from actually grabbing Jonouchi's shoulders to make him listen. He really did look quite irritated. "What do you want me to do?" He sighed and his expression softened. "Tell me how I can justify what I've done to you."

Jonouchi only had to meet his blue eyes for a split second before a completely insane, daring idea shot through his mind. He gulped and licked his lips.

"If I tell ya what ta do… will ya do it?"

Kaiba frowned a little. "I don't –"

"If I tell ya what ta do, will ya do it?" Jonouchi insisted and leaned in closer, keeping the eye contact with the brunet. He could definitely see confusion, and maybe even suspicion, in the other's blue eyes. But then he finally nodded. Jonouchi drew in a deep breath. "Then kiss me."

Kaiba's eyes widened slightly. Jonouchi didn't look away – searching the brunet's eyes for any hint of what he was going to do next. Finally, the brunet opened his mouth to say something, but Jonouchi wouldn't give him the chance to. He spun around and only managed to take one step before Kaiba caught his wrist and made him twirl around again.

A pair of lips suddenly covered his own and Jonouchi instinctively closed his eyes tight. Kaiba was still holding onto his wrist, but his grip had loosened; the blond's hand had somehow ended up on Kaiba's chest and he was grasping at his shirt. Jonouchi's heart fluttered and his chest felt oddly tight.

When they parted after a few moments Jonouchi knew he was probably blushing like crazy, but he didn't look up to meet Kaiba's eyes – because he could tell the brunet was watching him intently. Instead he kept his gaze on Kaiba's slightly parted lips, unable to believe what had just happened.

Then, finally, he tore himself away from Kaiba and walked away from there. Out from the garden, away from the orphanage. He wasn't running, but he moved quickly, wanting to get away from there as fast as possible.

He could still feel Kaiba's kiss on his lips.

After walking around more or less randomly for several minutes Jonouchi finally sunk down on a bench in the middle of a small park. He rested his head in his hands and stared at the ground. What the hell was he supposed to do now? He couldn't go back to the orphanage, no matter how much he'd miss the kids and no matter how much he needed the money. In school… well, he would have to meet Kaiba there sooner or later but hopefully he'd stay out of the blond's way and stay quiet about everything that had happened.

It didn't take long before a pair of black boots appeared in front of Jonouchi. The boots were attached to someone, of course, and the blond didn't even have to look up to know it was Kaiba.

"Go away," he muttered.

"No, I won't. It was hard enough for me to follow you in the first place so I'm definitely not leaving again." He did sound like he was a bit out of breath actually. Jonouchi hesitated, but then looked up. The brunet stood in front of him and had a frown on his face, but looked worried rather than angry. "Why are you mad at me? I did what you asked me to."

"Ya only did it _because_ I asked ya!" He felt tears well up in his eyes and his vision was starting to get blurry. He didn't want to cry – not here, not now, not in front of Kaiba – and he angrily blinked away his tears.

"Jonouchi…" Kaiba's voice was soft. "You may think I'm cold but I'm not that heartless. I wouldn't have kissed you if you didn't mean anything to me."

The blond blinked and looked up at Kaiba. As far as Jonouchi could tell, he was being completely serious, and he could feel a flutter of hope in his chest. Kaiba held out a hand for him; Jonouchi took it after only a moment of hesitation and the brunet pulled him up to his feet. The brunet pulled him even closer and put his arms around Jonouchi's waist, their bodies touching now. Shyly, Jonouchi looked up and met Kaiba's eyes – and found that he was actually smiling slightly towards him. Encouraged, the blond couldn't help but smile back, and Kaiba leaned closer, the tips of their noses touching.

"I'm not saying this will work," Kaiba said quietly. "And I'm not saying I love you. But I do like you, and I'm willing to try to make this work, if you are."

Dumbstruck, Jonouchi couldn't do anything but keep Kaiba's questioning gaze until he finally managed to nod ever so slightly, accidentally rubbing their noses together. A tiny smile lit up the brunet's face and Jonouchi couldn't help but cautiously smile back; he wanted to see that smile for so long and now he finally got it.

"Good," Kaiba whispered and leaned in, kissing Jonouchi properly this time.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Now that I don't have any school I have even less of a life than before, literally sitting indoors, writing puppyshipping and playing Minecraft all day.  
>Not that you guys mind, right? xD<p>

I based all the kids on my friends *smugface*


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